Apparatus for supplying gases to a patient

ABSTRACT

The gases temperature supplied to a patient when the patient is undergoing treatment such as oxygen therapy or positive pressure treatment for conditions such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is often measured for safety and to enable controlling of the humidity delivered to the patient. The invention disclosed is related to measurement of properties, particularly temperature, of gases flowing through a heated tube, supplying gases to a patient, which utilizes the heating wire within the tube.

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/572,822 which received a 371 filing date of Oct. 18, 2007,which in turn, is the National Phase filing of PCT/NZ2005/000219, havingan International filing date of Aug. 19, 2005, which claims priority ofNZ534853 having a filing date of Aug. 20, 2004. All of these are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an apparatus for supplying breathing gases toa patient.

In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus that can identifythe type of conduit attached to it and apply an appropriate controlstrategy for heating the conduit.

BACKGROUND ART

The gases temperature supplied to a patient when the patient isundergoing treatment such as oxygen therapy or positive pressuretreatment for conditions such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) orChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is often measured forsafety and to enable controlling of the humidity delivered to thepatient. Measurement of temperature near the patient is commonlyperformed using a probe inserted into the breathing tube, such as thatof Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited, U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,933 and U.S.Pat. No. 6,584,972. Such a temperature probe is connected to thehumidifier through a cable that runs external to the breathing circuit.This approach has some drawbacks. In particular, the user must correctlyinstall the temperature probe. If the probe is not correctly installedthen the humidification system may malfunction which may increase riskto the patient. Existing end of breathing tube sensors require sensorwires to be run down the outside of the breathing tube. This lowersreliability of the sensors due to the vulnerability of these wires.Alternatively, if these wires are run down the inside of the breathingtube there would be an increase of the resistance to airflow and thehygiene of the breathing circuit would be lowered.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedapparatus for supplying gases to a patient or which will at leastprovide the industry with a useful choice.

In a first aspect the invention consists in an apparatus for supplyinggases to a patient comprising:

-   -   a gases supply,    -   a delivery conduit including a heater wire for heating said        conduit, wherein said heater wire is located within, around or        throughout said conduit and utilized in an electrical circuit        including at least one identification element having a        characteristic impedance,    -   a controller for controlling the heating of the heater wire and        wherein said controller is adapted to measure said        characteristic impedance of said identification element and        identify said delivery conduit based on said characteristic        impedance and to apply power to said heater wire based at least        in part on the identified conduit.

Preferably said identification element is located at a patient end ofsaid conduit.

Preferably said characteristic impedance is a thermistor resistancerange.

Preferably said identification element is a fixed resistor.

Preferably said controller is configured to measure said characteristicimpedance and identify said conduit, upon initial connection of saidconduit to said apparatus.

Preferably said controller is configured to measure said characteristicimpedance and compare it with a plurality of predetermined impedanceranges at ambient temperature in order to identify said conduit type.

Preferably said controller is configured to measure said characteristicimpedance and compare it with a plurality of predetermined impedanceranges at ambient temperature in order to identify said conduit type.

In a further aspect the invention consists in a method of identifying aconduit attached to an apparatus comprising

-   -   attaching a conduit comprising a heater wire including an        identification element to said apparatus,    -   measuring a characteristic impedance of said identification        element,    -   comparing said measured characteristic impedance with a        predetermined impedance value,    -   applying power to said heater wire based on said comparison.

Preferably said step of measuring said characteristic impedance and saidstep of identifying said conduit, is carried out upon initial connectionof said conduit to said apparatus.

Preferably said characteristic impedance is compared with a plurality ofpredetermined impedance ranges, and

-   -   said step of applying power is based an the predetermined range        that said measured characteristic impedance is in.

Preferably said characteristic impedance is compared with a plurality ofpredetermined impedance ranges, and

-   -   said step of applying power is based on the predetermined range        that said measured characteristic impedance is in.

The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructionsof which the following gives examples.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a respiratory humidifier system that may beused with the method of the present invention of measuring temperatureof gases supplied to a patient.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the electronics enabling the measurementof the temperature of gases to a patient, where the circuit is utilisedwhen the system of the present invention is utilising DC heating andmeasuring voltages.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the electronics enabling the measurementof the temperature of gases to a patient, where the circuit is utilisedwhen the system of the present invention is utilising DC or AC voltagesfor the healing and signal voltages.

FIG. 4 is a cut away of a conduit including a circuit of the presentinvention on a printed circuit board and residing with the conduit inthe area of gases flow.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to measure various properties, for exampletemperature or humidity, at the end of a gas delivery tube or conduitusing sensors mounted on a wire, such as a wire used for heating thegases flow through the tube or conduit, where the wire resides withinthe delivery tube or conduit. A heated tube with a heating wire such asthat described in Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited U.S. Pat. No.6,078,730 or any other similar tube and heating wire could be utilisedwith the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 a ventilation and humidifying system as might beused with the present invention is shown. A patient 13 is receivinghumidified and pressurised gases through a nasal cannula 12 connected toa humidified gases transportation pathway or inspiratory conduit 3 thatin turn is connected to a humidifier 8 (including humidification chamber5) supplied with gases from a blower 15 or other appropriate gasessupply means.

The inspiratory conduit 3 is connected to the outlet 4 of thehumidification chamber 5 that contains a volume of water 6. Thehumidification chamber 5 is preferably formed from a plastics materialand may have a highly heat conductive base (for example an aluminiumbase) that is in direct contact with a heater plate 7 of humidifier 8.The humidifier 8 is provided with control means or an electroniccontroller 9 that may comprise a microprocessor based controllerexecuting computer software commands stored in associated memory. Gasesflowing through the inspiratory conduit 3 are passed to the patient byway of the nasal cannula 12, but may also be passed to the patient byway of other patient interfaces such as a nasal or full face mask.

The controller 9 receives input from sources such as user input means ordial 10 through which a user of the device may, for example, set apredetermined required value (preset value) of humidity or temperatureof the gases supplied to patient 13. In response to the user sethumidity or temperature value input via dial 10 and other possibleinputs such as internal sensors that sense gases flow or temperature, orby parameters calculated in the controller, controller 9 determines when(or to what level) to energise heater plate 7 to heat the water 6 withinhumidification chamber 5. As the volume of water 6 within humidificationchamber 5 is heated, water vapour begins to fill the volume of thechamber above the surface of the water and is passed out of thehumidification chamber 5 outlet 4 with the flow of gases (for exampleair) provided from a gases supply means or blower 15 which enters thehumidification chamber 5 through inlet 16.

The blower 15 may be provided with a variable speed pump or fan 2 whichdraws air or other gases through the blower inlet 17. The speed of thevariable speed pump or fan 2 may be controlled by a further controlmeans or electronic controller 18 which responds either to inputs fromcontroller 9 or to user-set predetermined required values (presetvalues) of pressure or fan speed, via dial 19. Alternatively, thefunction of this controller 18 can be combined with the other controller9.

A heating element or wire 11 is preferably provided within, around andthroughout the conduit or tubing 3 to help prevent condensation of thehumidified gases within the conduit. Such condensation is due to thetemperature of the walls of the conduit being close to the ambienttemperature, (being the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere) whichis usually lower than the temperature of the humidified gases within theconduit. The heater element effectively replaces the energy lost fromthe gases through conduction and convection during transit through theconduit. Thus the conduit heater element ensures the gases delivered areat an optimal temperature and humidity.

Such a heater wire is commonly driven either with direct current (DC) oralternating current (AC) and in both cases the heating voltage isusually switched on and off to control the power applied to the heatingelement. In the present invention the heating element 11, which is mostpreferably a wire, is used along with an electronic circuit to determineproperties of the gases supplied to the patient. The circuit (20 or 40in FIGS. 2 and 3) is preferably connected in series with the heater wire11. The circuit may be on a printed circuit board, or wired within ahousing that may be a plastic moulding in the gases flow, or a circuitboard that is at least partially moulded within the wall of the conduitor tubing 3. The properties that may be measured include temperature,pressure, gas composition and humidity. Two embodiments of the presentinvention are described below, one that operates using only a DC heatingvoltage and the other that can operate with a DC or AC healing voltage.

DC Heating Voltage

FIG. 2 shows a circuit 20 that may be utilised for carrying out themethod of measuring temperature of the present invention. When a DCheating voltage 25 is applied to the heater wire the diode 22 conductsand current flows through the heater wire 21, 28 and the heater wirefunctions as normal and provides heating to the delivery tube 3. Whenthe heating voltage 25 is switched off using switch 29, a measurementvoltage 26, which has opposite polarity to the heating voltage 25 isapplied to the heater wire. In this case, the current in the heater wire21, 28 does not flow through the diode 22 but flows through thethermistor 23 and through a reference resistor 24. The voltage acrossthe reference resistor 24 can then be measured at the output 27 and thetemperature of the gases determined. The voltage measurement 27 acrossthe reference resistor, 24, is converted to a temperature using a lookup table or an equation to calculate a value for temperature. This issimilar to a commonly used technique where the thermistor 23 forms apotential divider with the reference resistor 24.

More generally, the thermistor may be replaced by an impedance (forexample, a resistor and a capacitive sensor) for pressure or humiditymeasurement. Either the impedance can be measured by measuring thevoltage across the reference resistor 24 or the rise-time could bedetermined by looking at the voltage across the reference resistor 24 intime.

Part of the circuit 20 would be included in the delivery conduit 3 andin particular the diode 22 and thermistor 23 (in parallel with oneanother) are preferably placed in series with the heater wire 21, 28 ata point in the heater wire at or near the end 30 (nearest the user 13,see FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) of the delivery tube 3, for example they may beinterconnected on a printed circuit board, overmoulded with plastic forsealing and mounted in the gases stream through the delivery conduit asshown in FIG. 4. Furthermore, the circuit may be formed byinterconnected parts in a housing, for example, a plastic housing, thatprotrudes from the plastic wall of the delivery tube into the gases flowthrough the conduit, in order to measure that gases properties. Allother parts of the circuit 20 including the reference resistor 24 andthe switching circuitry 29 would be included in the control circuitry ofthe humidifier 8.

The thermistor's value can be chosen to have different resistance curveswith known properties at ambient temperature. The choice of a particularthermistor value for use with the circuit allows identification by thecontrol system of the present invention and matching of that thermistorvalue with a specific conduit or tubing 3. Such that differentthermistor values can be matched with a particular and appropriateconduit types and upon connection of the conduit to a humidifier orblower device, the control system can identify that thermistor and applythe appropriate control strategy to the heating of the conduit.

AC or DC Heating Voltage

The circuit shown in FIG. 2 is intended to be used when a DC heatingvoltage is used in conjunction with the heater wire, delivery conduitand system as shown in FIG. 1. An alternative embodiment of a circuit 40that would provide measurement of the gases properties, such astemperature and is suitable for AC and DC voltages, is shown in FIG. 3.A number of voltage signals 51, 52, 53, which are at differentfrequencies, are added together at an adder 50. These signals include atleast one heating signal 51 and at least one measuring signal 53. Thecombination of these signals passes down the heater wire 44, creatingcurrents (heating and measuring) in the heater wire 44. A number ofparallel paths are established 41, 43, 45 each containing a filter (forexample, as shown in FIG. 3, one low pass filter 41 and three hand passfilters 43, 45, 48) that each pass a different frequency range. Theseparallel paths (that is, filters, thermistors and/or sensors) arepreferably located at the end 30 of the delivery tube 3, in a similarmanner as described in relation to FIG. 2. The parallel paths allow theheating current to be passed through a different path to the measurementcurrents. It also allows multiple measurement signals to be passedthrough the heater wire so that different properties of the gases (e.g.temperature, pressure, humidity, composition) may be measured.

The heating and measurement currents return through the heater wire 46and can be filtered through a number of measurement filters 47, 49, 57in parallel that pass frequency bands that correspond to the filters,41, 43, 45 located at the end 30 of the tube 3. The heating currenttakes a different path than the measurement currents. The measurementcurrents each take a different path depending on their frequency andthis allows each measurement current to be measured by passing itthrough a reference resistor 48, 54 or similar. Again a look up table orequation may be used to convert the voltage across the referenceresistor 48, 54 to, for example, a temperature. In the preferredembodiment of the present invention the measurement filters 47, 49, 57would be included in the humidifier 8 control circuitry.

In a further embodiment one or more of the sensing elements 55, 56 atthe end 30 of the delivery tube 3 could be replaced by a fixed impedanceto allow identification of the tube so that different control algorithmscan be used for different conduits or tubes.

FIG. 4 shows a cutaway view of a conduit 3 with a printed circuit board60 housing the parts to one of the circuits of the present inventiondescribed above with reference to FIG. 2 or 3. The circuit board 60 isconnected to the heating wires 21, 28 and as such is positioned withinthe conduit 3. In this manner, the thermistor 23 included on the board60 is exposed to the gases flowing through the conduit 3 and can providemeasurements of the properties of the gases.

The circuits and method of the present invention can be applied to anumber of applications of these technologies for humidification andbreathing circuit products. For example, the measurement of thetemperature or humidity at the end of the delivery tube (or in a patientinterface, for example, nasal cannula or mask) can be used to bettercontrol the humidifier, such that a more accurate temperature of gasescan be supplied to the patient, providing optimal patient comfort andtherapy. Additionally, other gases properties may be measured, such asthe gases pressure or gas composition near the patient.

The apparatus of the present invention eliminates the need for externalwires for sensing gases properties, as is required by the prior art.Furthermore the apparatus of the present invention only uses two pins orcontacts (as opposed to four pins as used in current heated tubeimplementations). This means the system of the present invention islikely to be more reliable as the contacts/pins are likely to be lessprone to breakage. The utilisation of the heater wire for measuringgases properties may also reduce the cost of the breathing tube 3 andassociated parts, especially if the breathing tube is to be disposable.

1. An apparatus for supplying gases to a patient comprising: a gases supply, a delivery conduit including a heater wire for heating said conduit, wherein said heater wire is located within, around or throughout said conduit and utilized in an electrical circuit including at least one identification element having a characteristic impedance, a controller for controlling the heating of the heater wire and wherein said controller is adapted to measure said characteristic impedance of said identification element and identify said delivery conduit based on said characteristic impedance and to apply power to said heater wire based at least in part on the identified conduit.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said identification element is located at a patient end of said conduit.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said characteristic impedance is a thermistor resistance range.
 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said identification element is a fixed resistor.
 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to measure said characteristic impedance and identify said conduit, upon initial connection of said conduit to said apparatus.
 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to measure said characteristic impedance and compare it with a plurality of predetermined impedance ranges at ambient temperature in order to identify said conduit type.
 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said controller is configured to measure said characteristic impedance and compare it with a plurality of predetermined impedance ranges at ambient temperature in order to identify said conduit type.
 8. A method of identifying a conduit attached to an apparatus comprising attaching a conduit comprising a heater wire including an identification element to said apparatus, measuring a characteristic impedance of said identification element, comparing said measured characteristic impedance with a predetermined impedance value, applying power to said heater wire based on said comparison.
 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said step of measuring said characteristic impedance and said step of identifying said conduit, is carried out upon initial connection of said conduit to said apparatus.
 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said characteristic impedance is compared with a plurality of predetermined impedance ranges, and said step of applying power is based on the predetermined range that said measured characteristic impedance is in.
 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said characteristic impedance is compared with a plurality of predetermined impedance ranges, and said step of applying power is based on the predetermined range that said measured characteristic impedance is in. 